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Take one of the world’s greatest bluegrass bands, replace its silver-haired patriarch with one of a rotating cast of top-notch singer/guitarists and here’s what you get. And while you might expect the Travelin’ McCourys to be either some kind of consolation prize or something completely different, the group actually offer an enjoyable reminder that the Del McCoury Band are ultimately a band. There’s some set-list overlap, to be sure, but fiddler Jason Carter and bass man Alan Bartram are more prominently (and enjoyably) featured as singers, Ronnie McCoury (mandolin) gets to do a few more songs from his outstanding solo album, and banjo-playing brother Rob, who despite his prominence is still under-rated, cuts loose a little more. And then there’s that fifth, wild card—sometimes Vince Gill sideman Jeff White, sometimes Kentucky Thunder’s Cody Kilby occasionally a Josh (Shilling or Williams)—to bring something new to the table.
Wed., Dec. 9, 9 p.m., 2009
Wed., Dec. 9, 9 p.m., 2009
